You can apply for an additional provider number through HPOS if you either:
- have registered before 1 November 1996
- are not subject to section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973, and currently satisfy section 19AA through a postgraduate qualification.
You may also be eligible if you’ve trained overseas and satisfy 19AA with a postgraduate qualification.
In these cases, we’ll assess each application to determine if we can apply a 19AB exemption.
If you require a prescriber number separately, you must submit an Application for a Medicare provider number and/or prescriber number for a medical practitioner form.
Not all medical practitioners are subject to 19AB and not all 19AB exemptions are available through HPOS.
The following table shows which medical practitioners may be eligible to get a 19AB exemption through HPOS based on both:
- work location
- field of work.
| Work location | Field of work |
|---|---|
| All locations | Cardio-thoracic surgery Dermatology Emergency medicine Endocrinology Otolaryngology - head and neck surgery Gastroenterology and hepatology General medicine General paediatrics Geriatric medicine Haematology Intensive care medicine Nephrology Neurology Neurosurgery Orthopaedic surgery Paediatric surgery Plastic and reconstructive surgery Thoracic (respiratory and sleep) medicine Urology Vascular surgery |
| Within a Distribution Priority Area. Find out more on the Health Workforce Locator on the Department of Health and Aged Care website. | General practitioner |
| Within a District of Workforce Shortage. Find out more on the Health Workforce Locator on the Department of Health and Aged Care website. | Consultant physician - cardiology Consultant physician - psychiatry Specialist:
|
| The Northern Territory | General practitioner Consultant:
Consultant physician:
Specialist:
|
Limited access provider numbers
If you’re eligible for additional limited access provider numbers, you can apply online.
The table below shows which medical practitioners can create an additional provider number through HPOS and under what conditions.
| Medical practitioner | Conditions | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary resident medical practitioners. | Subject to section 19AB who don’t have a postgraduate qualification under the 10 year moratorium. | Can create a ‘Refer and request only’ provider location number. |
| Permanent resident and Australian citizen medical practitioners. | Don’t have a postgraduate qualification and are subject to section 19AB, under the 10 year moratorium. | Can create a ‘Refer and request only’ or ‘Refer, request and assist at private operations only’ provider location number. |
| Permanent resident and Australian citizen medical practitioners. | Don’t have a postgraduate qualification and aren’t subject to section 19AB. | A ‘Refer and request only’ or ‘Refer, request and assist at private operations only’ provider location number. |
You can manage your provider locations through HPOS using your PRODA account.
Learn more about provider eligibility on the Health Professional Education website.